But, however I have rambled in this libertine manner of writing by way of Essay, I now sat down with an intention to represent to my readers how pernicious, how sudden, and bow fatal surprises of passion are to the mind of man; and that in the more intimate commerces of life they are more liable to arise, even in our most sedate and indolent hours. Occurrences of this kind have had very terrible effects; and when one reflects upon them, we cannot but tremble to consider, what we are capable of being wrought up to, against all the ties of nature, love, honour, reason, and religion, though the man who breaks through them all, had, an hour before he did so, a lively and virtuous sense of their dietates. When unhappy catastrophes make up part of the history of princes and persons who act in high spheres, or are represented in the moving language and well-wrought scenes of tragedians, they do not fail of striking us with terror; but then they affect us only in a transient manner, and pass through our imaginations as incidents in which our fortunes are too humble to be concerned, or which writers form for the cstentation of their own force; or, at most, as things fit rather to exercise the powers of our minds, than to create new habits in them. Instead of such high passages, I was thinking it would be of great use, if any body could hit it, to lay before the world such adventures as befall persons not exalted above the common level. This, methought, would better prevail upon the ordinary race of men; who are so prepossessed with outward appearances, that they mistake fortune for nature, and believe nothing can relate to them, that does not happen to such as live and look like themselves.

end of our days a struggle between our reason|pacity, as to execute a great employment: and and our temper, which shall have the empire for the generality, as women perform the conover us. However, this is very much to be siderable part of their duties, as well as men helped by circumspection, and a constant alarm do theirs; so in their common behaviour, feagainst the first onsets of passion. As this is, males of ordinary genius are not more trivial in general, a necessary care to make a man's than the common rate of men; and, in my life easy and agreeable to himself; so it is more opinion, the playing of a fan is every whit as particulary the duty of such as are engaged in good an entertainment as the beating of a friendship, and nearer commerce with others. snuff-box. Those who have their joys, have also their griefs in proportion; and none can extremely exalt or depress friends, but friends. The harsh things which come from the rest of the world are received and repulsed with that spirit, which every honest man bears for his own vindication; but unkindness, in words or actions, among friends, affects us at the first instant in the inmost recesses of our souls. Indifferent people, if I may so say, can wound us only in heterogeneous parts, maim us in our legs or arms; but the friend can make no pass but at the heart itself. On the other side, the most impotent assistance, the mere well-wishes of a friend, gives a man constancy and courage against the most prevailing force of his enemies. It is here only a man enjoys and suffers to the quick. For this reason, the most gentle behaviour is absolutely necessary to maintain friendship in any degree above the common level of acquaintance. But there is a relation of life much more rear than the most strict and saered friendship, that is to say, marriage. This union is of too close and delicate a nature to be easily conceived by those who do not know that condition by experience. Here a man should, if possible, soften his passions; if not for his own ease, in compliance to a creature formed with a mind of a quite different make from his own. I am sure, I do not mean it an injury to women, when I say there is a sort of sex in souls. I am tender of offending them, and know it is hard not to do it on this subject; but I must go on to say, that the soul of a man, and that of a woman, are made very unlike, according to the employments for which they are designed. The ladies will please to observe, I say, our minds have different, not superior, qualities to theirs. The virtues have respectively a masculine and a feminine cast. What we call in men wisdom, is in women prudence. It is a partiality to call one greater than the other. A prudent woman is in the same class of honour as a wise man, and the scandals in the way of both are equally dangerous. But to make this state any thing but a burden, and not hang a weight upon our very beings, it is proper each of the couple should frequently remember, that there are many things which grow out of their very natures that are pardonable, nay, becoming, when considered as such, but, without that reflection, must give the quickest pain and vexation. To manage well a great family, is as worthy an instance of ca

The unhappy end of a gentleman, whose story an acquaintance of mine was just now telling me, would be very proper for this end, if it could be related with all the circumstances as I heard it this evening; for it touched me so much, that I cannot forbear entering upon it.

'Mr. Eustace, a young gentleman of a good estate near Dublin in Ireland,* married a lady of youth, beauty, and modesty, and lived with her, in general, with much ease and tranquillity; but was in his secret temper impatient of rebuke. She was apt to fall into little sallies of passion; yet as suddenly recalled by her own reflection on her fault, and the consideration

* An expression particularly reprobated by Dean Swift.

of her husband's temper. It happened, as he, his wife, and her sister, were at supper together about two months ago, that, in the midst of a careless and familiar conversation, the sisters fell into a little warmth and contradiction. He, who was one of that sort of men who are never unconcerned at what passes before them, fell into an outrageous passion on the side of the sister. The person about whom they disputed was so near, that they were under no restraint from running into vain repetitions of past heats on which occasion all the aggra vations of anger and distaste boiled up, and were repeated with the bitterness of exasperated lovers. The wife, observing her husband extremely moved, began to turn it off, and rally him for interposing between two people, who from their infancy had been angry and pleased with each other every half hour. But it descended deeper into his thoughts, and they broke up with a sullen silence. The wife immediately retired to her chamber, whither her husband soon after followed. When they were in bed, he soon dissembled a sleep; and she, pleased that his thoughts were composed, fell into a real one. Their apartment was very distant from the rest of their family, in a lonely country-house. He now saw bis opportunity, and, with a dagger he had brought to bed with him, stabbed his wife in the side. She awaked in the highest terror; but immediately imagining it was a blow designed for her husband by ruffians, began to grasp him, and strove to awake and rouse him to defend himself. He still pretended himself sleeping, and gave her a second wound.

Sheer-lane, May 17.

last winter, my master had a great deal of WHEN I first began to learn to push, this work upon his hands to make me unlearn the postures and motions which I had got, by having in my younger years practised back-sword, with a little eye to the single falchion. Knock down, was the word in the civil wars ; and we generally added to this skill the knowledge of the Cornish hug, as well as the grapple, to play with hand and foot. By this means, I gentleman was making a full pass at my bosom ; was for defending my head when the French insomuch, that he told me I was fairly killed seven times in one morning, without having done my master any other mischief than one knock on the pate. This was a great misfortune to me; and I believe I may say, without vanity, I am the first who ever pushed so erroneously, and yet conquered the prejudice of education so well, as to make my passes 60 clear, and recover hand and foot with that agility as I do at this day. The truth of it is, the first rudiments of education are given very indiscreetly by most parents, as much with relation to the more important concerns of the mind, as in the gestures of the body. Whatever children are designed for, and whatever prospects the fortune or interest of their parents all promiscuously instructed the same way; and may give them in their future lives, they are Horace and Virgil must be thumbed by a boy, as well before he goes to an apprenticeship, as to the university. This ridiculous way of treating the under-aged of this island has very often raised both my spleen and mirth, but I think 'She now drew open the curtain, and, by the never both at once so much as to-day. A good help of moon-light, saw his hand lifted up to mother of our neighbourhood made me a visit stab her. The horror disarmed her from further with her son and heir; a lad somewhat above struggling; and he, enraged anew at being disfive feet, and wants but little of the height and covered, fixed his poniard in her bosom. As strength of a good musketeer in any regiment soon as he believed he had despatched her, he in the service. Her business was to desire I attempted to escape out of the window: but would examine him; for he was far gone in a she, still alive, called to him not to hurt him- book, the first letters of which she often saw self; for she might live. He was so stung with in my papers. The youth produced it, and I the insupportable reflection upon her goodness, found it was my friend Horace. It was very easy and his own villany, that he jumped to the bed, to turn to the place the boy was learning in, and wounded her all over with as much rage which was the fifth ode of the first book, to as if every blow was provoked by new aggra- Pyrrha. I read it over aloud, as well because vations. In this fury of mind he fled away. I am always delighted when I turn to the beau His wife had still strength to go to her sister's tiful parts of that author, as also to gain time apartment, and give an account of this wonfor considering a little how to keep up the derful tragedy; but died the next day. Some mothers's pleasure in her child, which I thought weeks after, an officer of justice, in attemptingbarbarity to interrupt. In the first place I to seize the criminal, fired upon him, as did asked him,' Who this same Pyrrha was?' He the criminal upon the officer. Both their balls answered very readily, She was the wife of took place, and both immediately expired.' Pyrrhus, one of Alexander's captains' I lifted up my hands. The mother courtsies' Nay,' says she, I knew you would stand in admiration I assure you,' continued she, for all he

No. 173.] Thursday, May 18, 1710.

Sapientia prima est

Stultitia caruisse.

Hor. 1. Ep. i. 41. When free from folly, we to wisdom rise. Francis.

*Sce Tatler, 161, and note on Bickerstaff's perfection in fencing.

looks so tall, he is but very young. Pray ask | put us to learn. I have hardly ever since him some more; never spare him.' With that suffered so much by the charms of any beauty, I took the liberty to ask him, what was the as I did before I had a sense of passion, for not character of this gentlewoman?' He read the apprehending that the smile of Lalage was what three first verses; pleased Horace; and I verily believe, the stripes I suffered about Digito malè pertinaci bas given me that irreconcileable aversion, which I shall carry to my grave, against coquettes. As for the elegant writer of whom I am talk

Quis multa gracilis te puer in rosa Perfusus liquidis urget odoribus Grato, Pyrrha, sub antro? Hor. 1. Od. v. 1. And very gravely told me, she lived at the sign of The Rose in a cellar. I took care to being, his excellences are to be observed as they very much astonished at the lad's improvements; but withal advised her, as soon as possible, to take him from school, for he could learn no more there. This very silly dialogue was a lively image of the impertinent method used in breeding boys without genius or spirit to the reading things for which their heads were never framed. But this is the natural effect of a certain vanity in the minds of parents; who are wonderfully delighted with the thought of breeding their children to accomplishments, which they believe nothing, but waut of the same care in their own fathers, prevented them from being masters of. Thus it is, that the part of life most fit for improvement is generally employed in a method against the bent of nature; and a lad of such parts as are fit for an occupation, where there can be no calls out of the beaten path, is two or three years of his time wholly taken up in knowing, how well Ovid's mistress became such a dress; how such a nymph for her cruelty was changed into such an animal; and how it is made generous in Æneas to put Turnis to death: gallantries that can no more come within the occurrences of the lives of ordinary men, than they can be relished by their imaginations. However, still the humour goes on from one generation to another; and the pastry-cook here in the lane, the other night, told me, he would not yet take away his son from his learning; but has resolved, as soon as he had a little smattering in the Greek, to put him apprentice to a soapboiler.' These wrong beginnings determine No. 174.] Saturday, May 20, 1710.

our success in the world: and when our thoughts are originally falsely biassed, their agility and force do but carry us the further out of our way, in proportion to our speed. But we are half way our journey, when we have got into the right road. If all our days were usefully employed, and we did not set out impertinently, we should not have so many grotesque professors in all the arts of life; but every man would be in a proper and becoming method of distinguishing or entertaining him self, suitably to what nature designed him. As they go on now, our parents do not only force us upon what is against our talents, but our teachers are also as injudicious in what they

Tell me, Pyrrha, tell me truth
Who is now the hapless youth,
Doom d to wear thy captive chain,
Whilst he sues, but sues in vain?

relate to the different concerns of his life; and he is always to be looked upon as a lover, a courtier, or a man of wit. His admirable Odes have numberless instances of his merit in each of these characters. His Epistles and Satires are full of proper notices for the conduct of life in a court; and what we call good-breeding, is most agreeably intermixed with his morality. His addresses to the persons who favoured him, are so inimitably engaging, that Augustus complained of him for so seldom writing to him, and asked him, 'whether he was afraid posterity should read their names together?' Now, for the generality of men to spend much time in such writings is as pleasant a folly as any he ridicules. Whatever the crowd of scholars may pretend, if their way of life, or their own ima ginations, do not lead them to a taste of him, they may read, nay write, fifty volumes upon him, and be just as they were when they began. I remember to have heard a great painter say, There are certain faces for certain painters, as well as certain subjects for certain poets.' This is as true in the choice of studies; and no one will ever relish an author thoroughly well, who would not have been fit company for that author, had they lived at the same time. All others are mechanics in learning, and take the sentiments of writers like waiting-servants, who report what passed at their master's table; but debase every thought and expression, for want of the air with which they were uttered.

Quem mala stultitia, aut quæcunque inscitia veri,
Cœcum agit, insanum Chrysippi porticus, et grex
Autumat.-
Hor. 2 Sat. ii. 43.

Whom vicions passions, or whom falsehood, blind,
Are by the stoics held of madding kind. Francis.

From my own Apartment.

THE learned Scotus, to distinguish the race of mankind, gives every individual of that species what he calls a Seity, something peculiar to himself, which makes him different from all other persons in the world. This particu. larity renders him either venerable or ridicu lous, according as he uses his talents, which always grow out into faults, or improve into virtues. In the office I have undertaken, you are to observe, that I have hitherto presented only the more insignificant and lazy part of mankind under the denomination of dead meu,

together with the degrees towards non-exist- | impracticable. I shall therefore make use of ence, in which others can neither be said to live or be defunct; but are only animals merely dressed up like men, and differ from each other but as flies do, by a little colouring or fluttering of their wings. Now as our discourses heretofore have chiefly regarded the indolent part of the species, it remains that we do justice also upon the impertinently active and enterprising. Such as these I shall take particular care to place in safe custody, and have used all possible diligence to run up my edifice in Moor-fields for that service.

into a bed of straw and darkness; and have some hopes, that, after long absence from the light, the pleasure of seeing at all, may reconcile her to what she shall see, though it proves to he never so agreeable.

difficulty to ride. He and the duke of Ber-
wick are to command the French army, the
rest of the marshals being only to assist in
council.

Last night we entirely perfected four bridges My physical remarks on the distraction of over the Avant Fossé at both attacks; and envy in other persons, and particularly in Will our saps are so far advanced, that in three or Voluble, is interrupted by a visit from Mr. Kid-four days, batteries will be raised on the Glacis, ney, with advices which will bring matter of to batter in breach both the outworks and new disturbance to many possessed with this ramparts of the town. sort of disorder, which I shall publish to bring out the symptoms more kindly, and lay the distemper more open to my view.

St. James's Coffee-house, May 19. This evening a mail from Holland brought the following advices:

From the Camp before Douay, May 26, N. S.

Letters from the Hague of the twentyseventh, N. S. say, That the deputies of the states of Holland, who set out for Gertruydenburg on the twenty-third, to renew the conferences with the French ministers, returned on the twenty-sixth, aud had communicated to the states-general the new overtures that were made on the part of France, which, it is believed, if they are in earnest, may produce a general treaty.

No. 175.] Tuesday, May 23, 1710.

From my own Apartment, May 22.

On the twenty-third the French assembled their army, and encamped with their right near Bouchain, and their left near Crevecœur. Upon this motion of the enemy, the duke of Marlborough and prince Eugene made a movement with their army on the twenty-fourth, and encamped from Arlieux to Vitry and Isez IN the distribution of the apartments in Esquerchien, where they are so advantageously the New-Bedlam, proper regard is had to the posted, that they not only cover the siege, different sexes, and the lodgings accommodated secure our convoys of provisions, forage, and accordingly. Among other necessaries, as I ammuuition, from Lisle and Tournay, and the have thought fit to appoint story-tellers to canals and dikes we have made to turn the soothe the men, so I have allowed tale-bearers water of the Scarp and La Cense to Bouchain; to indulge the intervals of my female patients. but are in readiness, by marching from the But, before I enter upon disposing of the main right, to possess themselves of the field of bat- of the great body that wants my assistance, it tle marked out betwixt Vitry and Montigny, is necessary to consider the human race abor from the left to gain the lines of circumval-stracted from all other distinctions and consilation betwixt Fierin and Dechy; so that what-derations except that of sex. This will lead ever way the enemy shall approach to attack us, whether by the plains of Lens, or by Bouchain and Valenciennes, we have but a very small movement to make, to possess ourselves of the ground on which it will be most advan-complished came into the world. tageous to receive them. The enemy marched this morning from their left, and are encamped with their right at Oisy, and their left toward Arras, and, according to our advices, will pass the Scarp to-morrow, and enter on the plains of Lens, though several regiments of horse, the German and Liege troops, which are destined to compose part of their army, have not yet joined them. If they pass the Scarp, we shall do the like at the same time, to possess ourselves with all possible advantage of the field of battle; but if they continue where they are, we shall not remove, because, in our present station, we sufficiently cover from all insults both our siege and convoys.

Monsieur Villars cannot yet go without crutches, and it is believed will have much

A waiter at that time in St. James's Coffee-house, fre. quently mentioned in these papers. See Tatler, Numbers 1. 10. 26, &c.

us to a nearer view of their excellences and
imperfections, which are to be accounted, the
one or the other, as they are suitable to the
design for which the person so defective or ac-

To make this enquiry aright, we must speak of the life of people of condition; and the proportionable applications to those below them will be easily made, so as to value the whole species by the same rule. We will begin with the woman, and behold her as a virgin in her father's house. This state of her life is infinitely more delightful than that of her brother at the same age. While she is entertained with learning melodious airs at her spinnet, is led round a room in the most complaisant manner to a fiddle, or is entertained with applauses of her beauty and perfection in the ordinary conversation she meets with; the young man is under the dictates of a rigid school-master or instructor, contradicted in every word he speaks, and curbed in all the inclinations he discovers. Mrs. Elizabeth is the object of desire and admiration, looked upon with delight, courted with all the powers of eloquence and address, approached with a certain worship, and de